Every night throughout the postseason, Sporting News will recognize that day’s top performers by awarding Star Points to the three players who shine brighter than the rest. At the end of the Stanley Cup Finals, the player with the most Star Points will be SN’s Star of the Playoffs.

1) Adam Henrique, C, New Jersey Devils

Henrique, after four periods and change of hockey, said he couldn't remember his first-period goal. Fans in Jersey aren't going to forget the shot he put past Panthers goalie Jose Theodore at 3:47 of double overtime.

Henrique's goal—he picked up a loose puck in the right circle, skated toward the slot and beat Theodore low—made the Devils series winners for the first time 2007. It also served as something of a national coming-out party for New Jersey's rookie of the year candidate, who totaled 51 points in his rookie season and played the poise of someone older than 21. He opened the scoring at 1:29 when he tipped the puck past Theodore.

Because of the Panthers' rally from 2-0 in the third period, it was the first Game 7 in the NHL to go to a second overtime since 1996 and New Jersey's longest since its Stanley Cup run in 2003. And Henrique ended it. He might not remember the second goal, either.

"I blacked out when it hit the back of the net," he told reporters. "It was a great feeling."

— Sean Gentille

2) Dan Girardi, D, New York Rangers

Girardi picked an excellent time to score his first goal in 39 career playoff games, as he got the Rangers’ first Game 7 winner since Mark Messier in the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. On a play when Norris Trophy finalist Erik Karlsson appeared lost in no-man’s land, Girardi snuck in from the blue line, took a backhand pass from Brandon Dubinsky and put the puck in the roof of the Ottawa Senators’ net.

Just because he scored, though, Girardi was not about to abandon his defensive responsibilities. In 25:49 on the ice, Girardi had three blocked shots and was credited with three hits, and he was a big part of the protection in front of Henrik Lundqvist as the Senators were making their last-ditch push to tie the game in the third period.

“We were able to take care of our end first,” Girardi said. “But if we get goals, it’s nice as well.”

Girardi finished the first round with four points, surpassing the playoff career high of three that he set in 10 games in 2008.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the goals from Girardi and Marc Staal propelled the Rangers to the NHL’s first Game 7 win without a forward scoring a goal since 1950.

— Jesse Spector

3) Henrik Lundqvist, G, New York Rangers

Named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy earlier in the day, Lundqvist looked the part with 26 saves to see the Rangers through to victory after they handed him a two-goal lead. The only puck that got past him was a power-play one-timer by Daniel Alfredsson.

“Obviously, he is one of the best goalies in the league, if not the best,” Girardi said. “He was just on top of his game tonight.”

Lundqvist had to be at his best to close out the game, as the Rangers did not get a shot on goal of their own during the final seven minutes, with the Senators on an all-out attack and a veritable encampment in the New York zone. Lundqvist made five straight saves during that stretch – and just as important as those were the four stops he made at the start of the second period, when the game was still scoreless and Ottawa came out with a solid burst of energy after the first intermission.

“There was a little more edge to it and it was a great feeling being out there,” Lundqvist said. “You try not to think about the importance of the game and put too much pressure on yourself. I tried to just go out there and see it as Game 89 instead of Game 7. Especially for a goalie, I think it’s important to have a good approach to the game and not try to do too much or change your game because it’s a more important game.”

— Jesse Spector

Star Point standings

Based on a 3-2-1 point system, with three points awarded for first star, two points for second star and one point for third star.